"We are dedicated to cruelty-free living through a vegetarian - vegan lifestyle.
Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!"

Food Preparation Utensils and Equipment
Table of Contents

(Baking Pan, Glass)
We have two sizes of glass baking pans: the larger is 9 inches
X 13 inches, and the smaller is 6 inches X 10 inches. They stack together
for easy storage. Both sizes of glass baking pans are excellent for baking
or roasting in our conventional oven, but the larger one is too long to rotate
in our microwave oven and must be turned manually, as necessary. We use
the glass baking pans when a cover is not necessary. They are sold in most
department and discount stores.

(Baking Pan, Small Ceramic)
We use this 7 inch square ceramic baking pan in both
our conventional and microwave ovens. We use it for baking small cakes and
other cooking needs where a cover is not required. This type of small
ceramic baking pan is available in some department stores and all specialty
cooking stores.

(Baking Pan - Silicone)
This non-stick silicone rubber baking pan is ideal for
baking cakes and other light weight recipes. The manufacturer's literature
states that it is safe to use at temperatures up to 450 degrees; however, we
never recommend baking anything above a temperature of 400 degrees. Its
flexibility allows for easy removal of cakes or flat breads, but its flexibility
can be dangerous when removing heavy hot recipes from the oven, particularly
when there is liquid in the pan. The silicone rubber baking pan can also
be used in a microwave oven. To prevent damage, use only plastic or rubber
utensils with silicone ware.

(Baking Pan, Stoneware)
This is a photograph of an 11 X 15 inch stoneware
baking pan. It has been dusted with a light layer of corn meal in
preparation for baking rolls. We use this baking pan primarily for baking
rolls and deep-dish vegan pizza. The surface of the stoneware baking pan
is porous, and cannot be washed. It is cleaned by scraping off any
adhering material after each use; and since we use no animal products, we are
not concerned about bacterial or other contamination. The stains are from
caramelized pizza toppings that have spilled onto the stoneware.

(Bowls, Glass Baking, Mixing, and Serving)
We use these glass baking bowls mostly when we need to bake something in our
conventional or microwave oven that does not require a cover. The other
nice feature of these bowls is that you can mix together the ingredients in
these bowls, bake it, and serve it in the same bowl. The sizes in this set
range from one to four quarts. Another nice benefit of using glass bowls,
is that colorful ingredients show through the sides when used for serving at the table.

(Bowls, Mixing and Serving)
This is a convenient set of mixing and serving bowls.
The different size bowls fit inside one another for easy storage. This
particular design came with matching soup/small serving bowls, and platters.
We have not seen this particular design in recent years, but similar sets are
available in specialty and department stores.

(Bowls, Stainless Steel Mixing)
We use this set of stackable stainless steel mixing
bowls almost every day. They are light weight, and almost indestructible.
They are also very easy to clean. If you're only going to have one type of
mixing bowls, we suggest that you purchase a set of these stainless steel bowls.
They are sold in most specialty and department stores, and occasionally we've
seen them in some discount stores.

(Bread Maker)
We fondly refer to "The Bread Machine" as "R2D2" because it
resembles that robot character. We have found that bread machines that are
programmed with two risings are not the best for baking 100% whole grain bread,
as the whole grain bread does not rise properly the second time. Thus, we
use this machine primarily for mixing the dough. (Bread
Maker - InsidePhoto-right) This is an inside view of
the bread maker. The inner container serves as both a mixing bowl and as
the baking pan. The mixer is on the bottom of the inner container (shown
pointing in the 4:00 position). The post sticking into the inner container
in the 8:00 position helps mix and turn the dough.

(Bread Pan - Silicone)
This non-stick silicone rubber bread pan is ideal for baking
breads and cakes. The manufacturer's literature states that it is safe to
use at temperatures up to 450 degrees; however, we never recommend baking
anything above a temperature of 400 degrees. Its flexibility allows for
easy removal of cakes or breads. The silicone rubber bread pan can also be
used in a microwave oven. To prevent damage, use only plastic or rubber
utensils with silicone ware.

(Bread Pan - Stoneware)
We believe that stoneware aids in the uniform baking
process of breads. The only disadvantage of a stoneware bread pan is that
bread can occasionally stick, as it does in metal pans; but stoneware cannot be
oiled to prevent sticking. To keep bread from sticking, we use either a
coating on the bread dough, or dust the stoneware with cornmeal, as can be seen
in this photo. We do not wash stoneware, but scrape off any stuck on
ingredients. When removing the bread pan from the oven we let it cool
slightly on a wire rack before removing the bread from the pan.

(Brush, Vegetable)
A vegetable brush is a very handy tool to have around the kitchen. It can help
scrub the dirt off of root vegetables, and also double as a washing aid for
cleaning up utensils. They are inexpensive, too; this one cost only $1.00, and
will last us for more than a year.

(Colander) We
have had this sturdy plastic colander in our kitchen for many years, and have
used it almost every day to wash and drain our salad vegetables. It also
makes an excellent strainer for freshly cooked pasta as the hot boiling water
does not soften the plastic. We also use this colander to wash and rinse
dried and soaked beans.

(Crock-Pot, 6-1/2 Quart)
We purchased this 6-1/2 quart Crock-Pot slow cooker
because our smaller one made more than enough food for one meal, but not enough
for 2 meals. The best feature of the slow cooker is that we can let it
cook all night, which is great for bean soups, and we can continue to cook when
we're out during the day. When we're not in attendance, we set the
Crock-Pot control to "low," as shown in this photo, so that the contents do not
stick to the sides and over-cook. When we are around to mix the contents
every hour, the "high" setting is best. Always cook with the lid on the
pot. Another good feature of the Crock-Pot is that the inner pot is
removable for easy cleaning. (see the photo of
the inner pot)

(Cutting Board, Glass) We purchased our 16
X 20 inch tempered glass cutting board many years ago, and it has been on our
counter getting daily use every since. The nicest thing about these glass
cutting boards in that they don't harbor any bacteria in knife cuts as do wood
and composition cutting boards, and they are easy to wash or wipe clean. And,
because the cutting board is made of tempered glass, it also doubles as a hot
plate, since it rests on four rubber corner pads that provide an insulating air
space below. There are several manufacturers of tempered glass cutting boards,
and they come in various sizes and sell for as low as $10.00 in the smaller
sizes.

(Dish, Ceramic Baking)
This is a photo of a large microwavable ceramic baking
dish that is ideal for preparing main dishes in either a microwave or
conventional oven. We also have several smaller sizes for side dishes and leftovers.

(Dish, Glass Baking)
This is a photo of a covered glass baking dish that is
heat-treated to be used in either a conventional oven or in a microwave oven.
It is about 1/2 the size of the large ceramic baking dish presented in this
section. We use it for making smaller meals and for cooking fresh or
frozen vegetables.

(Dish, Small Ceramic Baking)
This small covered ceramic baking dish is good for
cooking or baking a small meal for two people in either a conventional oven or
in a microwave oven. It is also good for cooking up to about 1-1/2 pounds
of frozen or fresh vegetables. This baking dish can usually be purchased
singly or in sets with several other small baking dishes and covers.

(Food Processor)
This is one of the least expensive (less than $20.00) of
our kitchen appliances. It is easily cleaned and ideal for shredding
vegetables for soups, stir-fries, casseroles, and salads. This photo shows
the upper shredding blade. The food processor also has an inner cutting
(chopping) blade (not shown here) which is ideal for making preparations like salsa.

(Garlic Press)
There is nothing like the flavor of freshly crushed garlic!
We have found that this garlic press is extremely easy to use and clean.
The small plastic "part" is used to clean the holes in the bottom of the garlic
press. To see additional photos and a description on how to use a garlic
press, click on the photo or link.

(Juicer, Citrus) This is an inexpensive
plastic hand citrus juicer, which will juice any citrus fruit from as small as a
lime to as large as a grapefruit. The fruit should be thoroughly washed and cut
in half so that the stem end of the fruit is in the center of one of the cut
halves, which will cut each section through the center. Then each half is hand
pressed down firmly over the ridged cone in the center and twisted back and
forth, which will release the juice, seeds, and some of the pulp. The juice may
be poured off separately, or the seeds can be removed to allow the pulp to also
be added to the juice.

(Juicer, Lemon Lime) This cast metal hand
lemon lime juicer is generally considered to be a bar tool, but it is also great
around the kitchen when juice free pulp and seeds is desired. The fruit should
be thoroughly washed and cut in half so that the stem end of the fruit is in the
center of one of the cut halves, which will cut each section through the center.
The half lemon or lime is then placed cut side down between the jaws of the
juicer, and the handled are them squeezed over where you want the clear juice to
flow. We usually open the jaws and reverse the fruit and squeeze again to remove
any remaining juice.

(Knives, Inexpensive Utility)
Really good knives can cost a lot of money, and
are not really necessary for the average person to use when cooking for one's
self or family. There are plenty of good knives sold in discount
department and specialty stores that will adequately serve the needs of most
people, though we must caution not to buy the really cheap ones that don't hold
an edge or that have blades that are too flexible. We suggest buying a bread
knife, a curved grapefruit/utility knife, and several general purpose knives.
There are also some really nice reasonably priced knives that are sold in sets
for a variety of uses.

(Masher, Potato)
This is a relatively simple and inexpensive potato masher that
we purchased in a local discount store. In addition to mashing potatoes,
the potato masher is good for mashing cooked beans and other soft foods.

(Masher, Smood)
We are always on the lookout for something to help make our cooking easier and
more interesting. In the spring of 2008, Alexander Gransbury of Dreamfarm
in Australia introduced us to their Smood, and it immediately sparked our
interest, and he graciously sent us a sample to try. This is by far the
best hand held masher we have ever tried. The rubber hand grip makes the
Smood very comfortable to hold tightly and the spring action of the masher end
compressed the potatoes or other ingredients up through the coils into a smooth
mash. To find out where you can buy one, go to
www.dreamfarm.com.au

(Measuring Cup, Liquid)
We prefer heat treated glass liquid measuring cups
so that we can heat the contents in our microwave oven, when necessary.
This particular cup is calibrated in both the English and metric systems of
liquid measurement.

(Measuring Cups, Dry)
We find this set of stackable dry measuring cups very
useful. There are 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 1 cup sizes in the set to
meet any measuring need.

(Measuring Spoons)
This inexpensive set of seven measuring spoons is very handy
in preparing many recipes. Spoon sizes range from 1/8 teaspoon to 1-1/2
tablespoons.

(Mixer, Electric)
An electric mixer is a handy tool to have in the kitchen, but we must admit that
we use ours mostly for mixing and kneading dough. This particular mixer has two sets of
mixing blades: one for regular mixing and beating, and the other for mixing and
kneading dough. Prices generally start around $100.00 US, as is this model, and
can go over $300.00 for heavy duty models.

(Muffin Pan - Silicone)
This non-stick silicone rubber muffin pan is ideal for
baking muffins and cup cakes without paper cup liners. The manufacturer's
literature states that it is safe to use at temperatures up to 450 degrees;
however, we never recommend baking any muffins or cup cakes above a temperature
of 350 degrees. Its flexibility allows for easy removal of the muffins or
cup cakes. The silicone rubber muffin pan can also be used in a microwave
oven. To prevent damage, use only plastic or rubber utensils with silicone
ware.

(Muffin Rings)
Muffin rings are used to make English muffins and crumpets. They are each
3-1/2 inches in diameter X 7/8 inch high. We purchased our twelve muffin
rings from a specialty cooking supply store. They can also be purchased on
the internet. These muffin rings came in a set of 4 and cost about $1.00
(US) per ring.

(Pasta Pot)
We purchased a pasta maker several years ago, and this double
boiler pasta pot (shown here without the lid) was a bonus gift that came with
it. When cooking pasta in a conventional pot on the stove top, we often
found that the pasta would stick to the bottom of the pot. Then we would
pour the boiling water and cooked pasta into a colander to drain off the water.
With the pasta pot, the pasta never sticks to the bottom of the pot, and when
it's cooked, all that is necessary is to lift out the inner pot and the water
drains out. Do not cook the pasta with the lid on the pot or the water
will boil out between the inner and outer pot. When cooking spaghetti in
the pasta pot, be sure to stir the pasta when it begins to soften, in order to
make sure that none is sticking through the holes of the inner pot.

(Vegetable Peelers)
We have two vegetable peelers, which we use regularly: the
one on the top is an expensive one that is great for peeling any hard to peel
vegetables such as sweet potatoes and butternut squash, and the one on the
bottom that is very inexpensive, and is great for peeling easy to peel
vegetables such as carrots and white potatoes. If we use the expensive
peeler on carrots and white potatoes, the peeler will remove too much of the
vegetable with the peel, so we mostly use the inexpensive one. The cost of
a product is not necessarily an indication of the product's performance, as is
the case with these peelers.

(Pie Pan - Silicone)
Since only plastic or rubber utensils can be used with silicone ware, which
would require a pie to be removed from the pan before cutting, we see no
advantage in using this non-stick silicone rubber pie pan for baking pies.
However, the silicone rubber pie pan could be used for making pan-pizzas, flat
breads, and upside down cakes. The manufacturer's literature states that
it is safe to use at temperatures up to 450 degrees; however, we never recommend
baking anything above a temperature of 400 degrees. Its flexibility allows
for easy removal of cakes or breads. The silicone rubber pie pan can also
be used in a microwave oven.

(Pizza Stone)
This is a photo of our well-used pizza stone, which helps make really great
pizzas and flat breads. The metal support rack makes for easy handling in and
out of the oven, though we do have to use double potholders or oven mitts to
hold the hot metal handles. Stoneware should not be washed. To
clean, scrape off any stuck on ingredients.

(Popcorn Popper, Dry Microwaveable)
This is a photo of our dry popcorn popper sitting
in our microwave oven. At 1,000 watts, we make a full container of
dry popped popcorn in 3 minutes. It's great for making a quick snack.
See the Snacks section for some tasty recipes. This one
was manufactured by Rubbermaid.

(Pot, Glass) When cooking on the stove top, we prefer using glass cookware
such as this Visions cookware by Corning. The only exception to this is
when we need a large capacity pot for making soups. We have several sizes
of these covered glass cooking pots. The larger one, pictured here, is
great for cooking beans and rice. It is important to remember that it is
best to bring the liquid to a boil, and then lower the heat to "simmer" or "low"
to prevent sticking. Unfortunately, Corning ceased making this pot in
2001. If you're interested in seeing if they have any left in stock in
their stores, try calling 1-888-246-2737.

(Pot, Large Stainless Steel) We have two large stainless steel pots in our
kitchen, which we primarily use for cooking various kinds vegetable soups on the
stovetop (thick soups are best cooked in a slow cooker). The larger of the
pots is slightly over 3-1/2 gallons, and the other is slightly smaller. We
purchased them is a discount department store many years ago, and they are still
as good as new. We like to cook a large pot of soup and save the remainder
for the following day or two, and we usually store the left over soup in the
covered pot in our refrigerator after the soup has cooled to room temperature.

(Scoop)
A scoop can make uniform and decorative half-sphere servings of sticky foods
such as mashed potatoes, rice, and vegan ice cream. They are also handy for
making uniform sized veggie patties. Once the scoop is filled with the food from
the pot or container, it can be inverted over where you want the serving, and by
squeezing the side handle, the internal swing arm releases the serving exactly
where you want it.

(Spatula, Rubber) This is a heavy duty rubber spatula. It is excellent for
scraping ingredients from the surface of mixing containers and for some lighter
duty mixing jobs.

(Spatulas, Soft) Pictured here are three
types of soft food preparation spatulas: the top one is a spoon shaped spatula,
which is good for scooping ingredients; the middle spatula, is good for scraping
the sides of bowls with stiff ingredients such bread and cookie dough; and the
bottom spatula, is very soft and flexible and can be used for scraping out the
container of a food processor, where the ingredients are chopped or shredded
vegetables. We do not recommend the use of these kinds of spatulas for any
cooking operation or for handling hot cooked food, as there could be some
leaching of the chemicals into the food. Their cost ranges from a few dollars
each to less than a dollar each.

(Spoons, Large Cooking) We prefer using these large plastic cooking spoons
because of their one piece construction. Metal spoons with wood or plastic
handles have a tendency to get food caught in the joint between the metal and
handles; this cannot happen with these one piece molded spoons. The black
spoon is for heavy duty cooking and mixing of stiff ingredients. The
lighter duty cream colored spoon (stained from cooking curries) is good for rice
and other soft and loose preparations.

(Sprayer, Pump)
We purchased this pump sprayer to spray on light coatings of extra virgin olive
oil, and other liquid seasonings, such as soy sauce. By pumping the lid up
and down, the bottle becomes pressurized. The lid is removed, and by
pressing on the spray tip, a fine spray can be aimed at the desired recipe.
The excess oil or other seasoning can be stored in the spray bottle. The
only drawback with spraying and storing oil in the bottle, is that the spray
nozzle has a tendency to become clogged if the sprayer is not used often.
At the first sign of clogging, the spray bottle should be thoroughly cleaned and
hot soapy water run through the sprayer until a fine spray is produced. It
then can be thoroughly rinsed, dried, and put back into use.

(Tea Ball, Clam Shell) This clam shell tea ball is a very handy gadget to
use for making tea from loose dried regular or herbal tea leaves such as
lemon balm, peppermint, and spearmint, instead of brewing the tea and having
to use a tea strainer when pouring the tea into a cup. When the handle of
this tea ball is squeezed, the clam shell opens allowing you to scoop up
enough loose dry leaves to make 2 cups of tea. When the tea ball is full,
release the pressure on the handle and the clam shell will close; remove the
excess dry tea leaves from the closed joint back into the tea leaf
container. Place the tea ball into 2 cups of boiling hot water and let steep
for 5 to 10 minutes, and you're ready to serve the tea.

(Vita-Mix)
This Super 5000 Vita-Mix is our most used portable kitchen appliance. It
is a rare day when we don't use it at least once. It has a "dry" and a
"regular" container, and a heavy duty 2-hp motor. The container on the
mixer is the dry container with the designation label above the handle
(photo-left). We use our Vita-Mix in the preparation of many of the
recipes we have published on this web site. Even though it's relatively
expensive, we have found it well worth the investment. We have had our
Vita-Mix for nearly 10 years and it's still running great! Their guarantee
and service is also the best we've experienced in the industry. To enlarge the
photo, click on the photo or link.

(Wok)
This is an electric wok. Traditional woks are made of metal and are
designed for cooking over a gas flame. Since we do not have gas where we
live, we have become accustomed to cooking in our electric model. Woks are
excellent for preparing stir-fry dishes. We rarely stir-fry in oil, and
prefer "frying" or steaming in a little water, which works quite well with rapid
mixing. We also believe that stir-frying in water is more healthful.
(☺The only potentially unhealthful thing
is the look on the local Asian chef's face when he hears Mary and me speak of
"taking a walk."☺)

(Wok, Stainless Steel) This is a stainless steel electric wok which we
purchased after the Teflon coating on our other wok began to deteriorate. The
highly polished cooking surface of this wok is also non-stick, as long as we
stir continually. We have found that using two spoons, one in each hand,
works best to scoop the cooking food off the heated bottom and lift it over the
food on top. This helps ensure uniformly cooked veggies. Traditional
woks are made of metal and are designed for cooking over a gas flame.
Since we do not have gas where we live, we have become accustomed to cooking
with our electric model. Woks are excellent for preparing stir-fry and
other dishes. We rarely stir-fry in oil, and prefer "frying" or steaming
in a little water, which works quite well with rapid mixing. We also
believe that stir-frying in water is more healthful.

The
above recipe is in keeping with God's creation intent (Genesis 1:29-31):
'Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every
tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the
earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that
has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all
that he had made, and it was very good.' (NIV) Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!

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